Toddler Beds!!

This post is about 5 months over due, but as you know, I procrastinate where I can. I started feeling sad that I hadn't shared this HUGE step with so many of my loved ones, so here I am blogging when I should be packing! (Big trip to Indonesia in 2 days with my sisters to visit my brother... will blog about that when I get back!)

The babies were 2 1/2 and really ready to move out of their cribs. Well, I was really the ready one... I was tired of lifting the babies up and down... tired of breaking my back to change sheets. But, I knew it was time to move them into the next phase of life.

When I bought the cribs, I assumed that we would be in a bigger house by this time and they would move straight to single beds, so I didn't buy convertible cribs. Three single beds won't fit in the girls room, so I had to go with Toddler beds. (I saw these on another multiples mom's blog... They are from Walmart for $89!!!! Cute and so far, pretty sturdy!) They are teeny-tiny and won't last a long time, but it gave us more time to look for a bigger house and the babies LOVE them.

I was really nervous about the transition, turns out, for no reason. There were a couple of times when I caught the boys playing in the closet or at their "diner" after the lights went out, but nothing major. The girls I know get out of bed to get books or dolls, because they are piled high in the beds in the morning, but they are very quiet about it. (I kept meaning to get cameras, but have been too lazy!)

None of the horror stories I had heard about happened to us... The worst of it was when Mitchell, my best sleeper, starting coming into our room at 5:30 AM. Like any mother, I just yanked him into the bed with me... This was fine until a few days later, Luke came in shortly after Mitchell. But, as it was before 6 AM and I was TIRED, into the bed came Luke. The next week when the girls started wandering in early as well, I knew it was time to do something... (Actually, I tried to pull the girls in too, but it was like dogs scrapping -- 7 in a queen bed is WAY too many!)

SO, my solution to this was timers on the lamps. (I read this in a parenting book.) Light comes on at 6 AM and only then can you come out. It took a few days, but they got it! A couple of weeks later, I moved the timer to 6:30 AM and just last week I moved it to 6:45 AM!!

I love being able to sleep in a little bit now, but losing out on 45 minutes make the mornings really rushed. I really need to get my booty out of bed at 6 AM and get myself ready before the babies wake up! One day I may, but for now I will take the extra sleep!!!

Girls Room - View #1

Briellen's Bed

Girls Room - View #2

Sidney's Bed

Girls Room - View #3

Ivy's Bed

Sidney

Ivy

Brie

Boy's Room - View #1

Boy's Room - View #2

Mitchell

Luke